Underground mining jobs: roles, mines, and how hiring works

Who are the major underground mining employers in Canada?

Vale and Glencore run the big nickel and copper operations around Sudbury, Ontario. Evolution Mining runs the Red Lake gold camp in Northwestern Ontario. The Timmins Porcupine complex is run by Discovery Mining, which bought it from Newmont in a sale that closed in April 2025 -- a lot of older job guides still name the previous owner, so check before you apply. Agnico Eagle runs the gold operations around Val-d'Or, Quebec. Vale also runs the Thompson nickel operation in Manitoba. Flin Flon no longer has an active mine or smelter; if you are job hunting underground in northern Manitoba, aim at Snow Lake instead. Diamond mines near Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, are among the most remote sites in the industry. Mine types split roughly into hard rock (gold, nickel, copper), soft rock (potash, salt), diamond, and uranium (Saskatchewan).

Common roles

Underground production roles include the miner/mucker, jackleg driller, scoop tram operator, cage tender, rock bolter, shotcrete operator, blast hole driller, and underground surveyor. Support roles include ventilation technicians and mine rescue team members. Every site also needs electricians, instrumentation techs, shift bosses and supervisors, and safety coordinators, plus surface support and camp services staff who don't need a mining ticket to start (see /salaries/ for what these roles typically pay).

Do mines hire directly or through contractors?

Large operators like Vale, Glencore, Discovery Mining, and Agnico Eagle hire directly for skilled production and trades roles, while camp services and some surface support roles often run through contractors. Entry-level and support roles are the easiest way in with no mining experience. Hiring volume tends to track new project announcements and mine-life extensions rather than a fixed seasonal calendar the way some other resource industries do (2025 estimate, unconfirmed) -- see /rotations/ for how that interacts with rotation scheduling.

What tickets do I need before applying underground?

Before you apply for underground work, expect to need Ontario's Common Core certificate (or the equivalent underground safety training in your province) at minimum, plus site-specific orientation once hired. See our tickets hub for the full list of common core modules and other certifications that help with hiring.